Journal of Nanophotonics
• Open Access

Nanotechnology has progressed by leaps and bounds since it became the focus of intense applied research activity in the late 20th century. In particular, thin films with engineered structures at nanometer length scales have figured prominently in this nanotechnological revolution. Their unique and sometimes exotic and counterintuitive properties present engineers and scientists with tantalizing opportunities and often demanding challenges. The list of potential applications for nanostructured thin films grows longer each year. This growth is matched, and often fueled, by the ever more complex nanostructures that can be achieved in practice due to advances in manufacturing techniques. The annual Nanostructured Thin Films conference, which is a constituent of the SPIE Optics + Photonics annual meeting, provides a forum for the exchange of the most recent developments in this rapidly developing field.